


New Year, New Me

by the_impardis



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: M/M, New Year's Eve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-07
Updated: 2017-01-07
Packaged: 2018-09-15 14:24:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9238910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_impardis/pseuds/the_impardis
Summary: A series of New Year's Eves with Hartley and Cisco.





	

**Author's Note:**

> me: i really need to finish my halloween fic, or at least publish the next chapter it's been in my editing pile for weeks.  
> me to me: post another holiday based fic

2013

 

It was honestly inane, and Hartley had no idea why Harrison was so adamant about a New Years party for the office. It wasn’t like the office were friends, and Hartley was certain that his presence at a celebration would be unappreciated, if not discouraged.

But Harrison was determined, and that’s why Hartley found himself in the corner of the cortex, holding his champagne as a shield between himself and the other people in the room. There were only a few other people there; Caitlin and Ronnie were wrapped around each other, waiting for the countdown to commence, Jason was in the process of getting remarkably drunk and Ramon was making small talk with Dr Wells.

With a minute before the new year began, Harrison cleared his throat and held his glass up. “I want to thank you all for coming. I’d like to propose a toast to the year coming. To the future, and the advancements we will make as it comes. To STAR Labs in 2013- may we help make the world a better place.”

“To STAR Labs!”

Everyone clinked glasses except Hartley, who remained as far away from everyone as possible. Immediately afterwards, Jason went back to his mission of draining the punch bowl single-handedly and Dr Wells stepped away to talk to Caitlin and Ronnie as the clocked ticked down.

With 20 seconds remaining, Cisco steeled himself and walked over to Hartley. “Have any resolutions this year?”

“My personal life is none of your business, Cisquito,” Hartley shot back.

“Just trying to turn over a new leaf, man,” Cisco said, leaning next to Hartley. “New year, new me and all that.”

“If only,” muttered Hartley, as the office began counting down.

“10, 9, 8, 7.” Jason was slurring the numbers spectacularly, while Caitlin and Ronnie seemed to only be whispering the numbers to each other, lips already almost touching.

“-4, 3, 2, 1, HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

Caitlin and Ronnie kissed deeply, while Jason whooped and planted a wet kiss on Dr Wells cheek, hollering “happy new year, boss!”

Cisco turned to Hartley to see the bespectacled man already staring at him. “So do we have to kiss as well?” Cisco asked, already reasonably certain of the answer.

“I’m about 7 drinks and a serious case of conjunctivitis away from ever wanting to kiss you, Ramon. Good night.”

With that, Hartley stalked out of the cortex, leaving Cisco alone.

Caitlin and Ronnie had still yet to disengage from each other, and Dr Wells was looking over at Cisco strangely. Jason seemed to be on the floor. Cisco turned away from Dr Wells’ gaze and clapped Ronnie on the back solidly. The alcohol in his system swirled around confusedly. Was he really disappointed about Hartley snubbing him? Surely not.

Cisco pushed the thought away and hugged Caitlin. He wasn’t thinking about his irritating superior. He was focussing on 2013. The year that they would change the future forever.

 

2014

 

It had been nine days and the screaming still hadn’t abated. Nothing helped; earplugs would dampen, but after the first pack Hartley would have to brave leaving his apartment to get more. He just shoved his pillow around his head and tried to ignore it. It didn’t work.

New Years would have passed without notice, had the fireworks not shot agony through his brain with every explosion. It was all so unbearably loud, so Hartley tried what his father taught him as a young boy. Drink the pain away. It didn’t work.

****

Some new years celebration, Cisco thought gloomily. He was stuck with Caitlin, who still seemed to be in shock about Ronnie, his recently paralysed boss and some random guy in a coma. Hopefully 2014 would be a better year than the one that had just passed.

 

2015

 

Finally his hearing aids were perfected. The bones of an idea to get revenge on Wells and the Scooby gang siding with him were getting carved into a plan. The Flash would be a problem, though. But Hartley was sure he was smarter than some guy who thought dressing in bright red suit was a good way to fight crime. Dr Wells was his only real opponent on the team. Caitlin was sweet, but her speciality was separate from Hartley, and if Cisco was still hanging around, Hartley was certain he could deal with him easily enough. This year was going to be the beginning of his vengeance.

This was way better than any new years party with his family.

***

This celebration was definitely a step up from last year. Now Barry was making his way to becoming his best friend, Caitlin was on the up and up, Dr Wells seemed very taken with Cisco’s new inventions and how Barry used them- not to mention the new friends in the West family that Cisco had made. As the clock in the West living room chimed midnight, everyone descended into group hugs with the other people in the house.

This was way better than any new years party with his family.

 

2016/1 (before Barry changed the timeline)

 

Again Hartley found himself alone on New Year’s Eve. He’d had an offer from his friend (well, acquaintance of necessity), Shawna Baez to go clubbing with her, but he’d declined. The past year had definitely been an eventful, if stressful one. First he went against Dr Wells and ended up imprisoned, then he’d escaped and laid low for a while, then the sky opened up and the city threatened to tear itself apart until the Flash presumedly stopped it.

The year had been busy, and yet Hartley couldn’t say he was satisfied with anything that he did in it. The commotion of Harrison Wells knowing there was a possibility the particle accelerator would explode was overshadowed mere weeks later by another crisis, and Hartley was left alone in an apartment under a fake name being paid for with stolen money.

Unbidden, a memory of the new year’s party of 2012 came to Hartley’s mind. He didn’t like it by any means, but somehow it was the happiest new year he could recall. Even though he was desperately uncomfortable and unwilling to interact with anyone, there was excitement and happiness around him that seemed determined to envelop him. Ramon had even been vaguely polite in a conversation with him; not that that mattered after the stunt he pulled rigging his hearing aids. Although it was an interesting thought to dwell on- when he wasn’t quoting ridiculous references or ignoring lab procedures, Cisco Ramon was not the worst person in the world.

Outside his window, fireworks launched into the sky to welcome 2015. Hartley barely noticed. He was too deep in thought.

****

It was only 11 o’clock and Cisco was well on the way to a pleasant buzz. He was at the West house again, joined by Caitlin, Harry, Jay and Barry, as well as the Wests and Patty from the precinct. The good company, combined with the punch that Iris’s friend Linda had made, were working to turn Cisco into a giggly mess before the new year even came around.

After making his rounds, Cisco collapsed on the couch next to Iris and sunk into the cushions. Iris wasn’t nearly as drunk as Cisco, and looked over at him with a smile. Iris had a nice smile. Iris was a really nice person in general. What would she even want to improve in 2015?

“Do you have any resolutions?” he asked, impressing himself with the lack of slurring in his words.

“I want to get better with my writing,” said Iris. “I only got my job because of my connection to the Flash and I’m determined to show them that I’m actually a journalist, not just some damsel who relies on the Flash for everything.”

Cisco nodded, then lurched forward as the room spun.

“Are you alright? Do you want some water?”

Cisco carefully shook his head. “I’m just gonna sit here for a second. Whatever I say, don’t give me more of that amazing punch.”

Iris smiled again, then left Cisco to go talk to Harry.

It was so weird that Harry was Dr Wells, and yet so obviously not. Like, they looked the same but they acted so different. Cisco lay back and imagined the new year’s toast Harry would give. It wouldn’t be anyone like that one that Dr Wel- Thawne did at the 2012 party. He probably wouldn't have known if the accelerator would work and would have ignored Ronnie more.

Jason, Cisco thought with a snort, probably would have been kicked out of the party once he got drunk enough to think that Dr Wells was a worthy candidate to sing ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ with. Hartley-

Cisco’s thoughts suddenly halted. Harry would probably have loved Hartley- both sarcastic and dismissive of the people who didn’t understand their ideas. Even thought at that party Hartley did seem less acerbic than usual. Probably the alcohol, Cisco reasoned. He was nicer and I was paying less attention to what he said and more attention to his face.

Immediately, Cisco hauled himself off the couch and toward Iris. He must have had way too much punch if he was thinking about Hartley’s face right now. And how he was kind of hoping that they could start over and become closer the next year. Almost as soon the thought of “what if we had kissed for the new year?” came to Cisco’s head he quashed it. That wasn’t going to happen. Hartley was a criminal. And a dick besides.

At that moment, everyone in the house began the countdown for midnight, and Iris pulled Cisco toward her, kissing him soundly on the cheek as the clock ticked over to 2015. Cisco returned the favour then whispered “never change” in Iris’s ear.

She beamed at him, then went over to hug Joe and Barry, leaving Cisco alone again. Resolutely not thinking about Hartley goddamn Rathaway.

 

2016/2 (after Barry changed the timeline)

 

Again, Hartley found himself in the cortex of STAR Labs on new year’s eve, but he was enjoying himself a lot more. Cisco and Caitlin were both there again, but Caitlin was talking to Jay, not Ronnie, and they were joined by Barry, Iris and Joe. Harry was also there, but he had taken up residence in Hartley’s corner of antisocial drinking and was wearing a thousand yard stare. When Hartley had asked Cisco about it, Cisco mentioned that he was probably just worried about his daughter.

Apart from Harry, everyone seemed content to mill around with champagne and just chat with each other before the countdown began.

The talk Hartley had with Iris had revealed the existence of a brother that both she and Joe were completely unprepared to deal with, and general feelings about Zoom, specifically when he came to Iris’s place of work. Hartley’s offer to hack the CCPN and make sure Zoom couldn’t get within a mile of it were laughed at, but not refused before Iris went off to go talk with Caitlin.

Hartley was left alone for a moment, before Cisco swooped over to him from the loud conversation he was having with Barry, complete with emphatic arm gestures. “So, got any new year resolutions?”

Cisco grinned wildly as though he had made a hilarious joke, not just referenced something that had happened 3 years previously.

“I thought my personal life was none of your business?”

Cisco actually laughed at that. “Maybe the first time I asked you that. We’re way past that now, though. I know you’re actually a massive Potterhead and nerd so we are definitely friends. So do you have any resolutions?”

Hartley thought for a moment, torn between giving a pithy answer and actually telling the truth. “I want to try to be more approachable. I have friends now and I don’t want to scare them off by acting like myself.” 

Immediately, Hartley regretted his honestly. He sounded like a fool talking about this kind of stuff just before new years. “And I plan to take over the world and rule with an iron fist.”

“Fair enough,” Cisco replied and the two stood shoulder to shoulder in silence for a moment.

“You know, I am,” Cisco coughed into his glass. “I am glad that you’re part of the team. It’s nice to have someone who can appreciate why my genius is so genius.”

Hartley blushed. Clearly he’d drunk more than he’d thought. “I’m glad too.”

Cisco suddenly swivelled so he was facing Hartley. In the back his mind, Hartley recognised that the rest of the office was counting down from 10, but his primary focus was the man in front of him. Cisco was close enough that Hartley could see him breathing, and was able to see the moment Cisco’s eyes flitted down to his lips.

“So,” Cisco almost whispered. “Do you think we have to kiss?”

Already, Hartley could feel himself leaning in and his eyes flutter shut as the rest of STAR Labs continued their countdown.

“3, 2-” The clamour was drowned out by a trilling alarm from the main computers, snapping Cisco and Hartley from their reverie.

Barry flashed over and Harry scanned the screens. “It looks like the Trickster just announced that he set bombs around the city centre to go off when the fireworks finished,” said Harry. “Flash, Piper- suit up.”

Immediately, Joe had pulled out his phone and was talking to the police captain, Caitlin and Jay had sat down next to Harry and Barry had changed. 

The moment was gone. They had a city to save.

 

2017

 

Having a full time job of being a superhero and having your friends also doing heroic things regularly meant that the calendar often seemed shaken around.

Cisco honestly couldn’t remember the last time he had taken a Friday night off to just relax, or been aching for a weekend to come because crime didn’t take holiday breaks.

It was for this reason that the celebrations for new years snuck up on Team Flash, only marked by criminal activity rearing up again after Christmas to try and strike while people were out enjoying the festivities. The Wests had all organised to take time off with Barry, and Caitlin was spending the night with Lily since her father was away, meaning that Vibe and the Pied Piper were alone to take on Central City’s underbelly for a couple of days. It was also why at five minutes to midnight, Cisco and Hartley were the only ones still in the lab working on their tech, while everyone else had previous engagements.

It was two minutes to midnight when Cisco’s phone buzzed and both men flinched, anticipating it to be the meta-app. It wasn’t. It was simply a calendar reminder to “party like it’s 2016!”

Hartley snorted and went back to his work, but Cisco’s eyes remained trained on his phone.

“Hey, Hart?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s overall been a pretty shitty year hasn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Hartley turned back to Cisco, setting his gloves aside. “I’m going to make sure next year is better though.”

“How d’you plan to do that?” Cisco asked.

“Sheer force of will,” Hartley replied. “And if it really messes up I’ll just pay Barry to fix my mistakes.”

It was one minute to midnight.

“You think you’re gonna make a lot of mistakes?”

“Probably,” Hartley said airily. “You?”

“Almost certainly,” Cisco chuckled. “But,”

He cut himself off before he could finish the sentence. 30 seconds to midnight.

Carefully, Cisco placed his hand over Hartley’s cheek and searched his face for any negative reaction. There wasn’t one. 20 seconds to midnight.

“-I’m hoping this won’t be one of them.”

10 seconds to midnight.

“I’m pretty confident that you’ll get a positive reaction to it.”

5 seconds.

Cisco finally leaned in until his whisper brushed against Hartley’s lips. “Happy New Year.”

Outside, fireworks cracked through the dark sky, welcoming the new year in with light and excitement.

However the men in STAR Labs were somewhat preoccupied and didn’t notice.

**Author's Note:**

> honestly season 3 has been a shitshow thus far imo, so i've ignored much of it


End file.
